December 2003
| Tuesday, December 30, 2003 |
Pick A Prince, Get A Splinter!
 Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 8:45 PM |
Category: Publisher |
Ubisoft announced that during the month of January, anyone who purchases Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time for the PlayStation2, GameCube, the Xbox, or the PC, will receive a copy of Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell on the same platform - for FREE!About Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Amidst the scorched sands of medieval Persia, there is a legend spun in an ancient tongue. It speaks of a time borne by blood and ruled by deceit. It is within this war torn land that a young Prince discovers a magic dagger. Drawn to its dark powers, he is led to unleash a deadly evil upon the reaches of his father's vast kingdom. Aided by the wiles of a seductive princess and the absolute powers of the Sands of Time, the Prince stages a harrowing quest to reclaim the Palace's cursed chambers, and restore peace to the very fabric of Time itself. He must tread these dangers carefully, however. Because in this world, there is only one rule: master the Sands, or be buried.
About Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell
You are Sam Fisher. A lone shadow-operative in a world where lost seconds can allow terrorist plans to become deadly reality. You operate in the heart of hostile territory. Spy. Steal. Destroy. Assassinate. Just don't ever be seen. Because when the stakes are this high, the choice between leaving a witness or a corpse is no choice at all. When two CIA agents mysteriously vanish in the former Soviet republic of Georgia, the NSA's secret sub agency, Third Echelon, deploys Sam Fisher-its most capable splinter cell operative-to recover them. Fisher soon uncovers a deeper conspiracy: a plot that threatens to destabilize the world order and spark nuclear conflict. Both titles carry a "T" (Teen) rating from the ESRB. This special offer will be available at all major retailers.
| Wednesday, December 24, 2003 |
Midway Unleashes The Suffering
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 11:21 AM |
Category: Horror |
Midway Games, Inc. has launched the official website for The Suffering.Players can now step into the seedy underbelly of a maximum security penitentiary that is The Suffering.
The Suffering revolutionizes the horror genre by combining intense action-oriented game-play with an authentic prison environment haunted by ghoulish apparitions. Traverse the intense and shocking world of a maximum security penitentiary in the role of Torque, an inmate accused of a brutal crime he may or may not have committed. Trapped in this ghastly environment and beset by horrific creatures, Torque is constantly challenged to stay alive and wield all manner of weapons in his fight to escape the nightmare that has been unleashed on Abbott Penitentiary. The Suffering will be available in the U.S. on March 8, 2004 for both the Playstation2, Gamecube and Xbox consoles.
Savage: The Battle For Newerth, IGF Top Contender
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 11:10 AM |
Category: Developer |
Developer S2 Games and iGames Publishing have announced that Savage: The Battle for Newerth has been named one of the top ten finalists in the Open Category of the 2004 Independent Games Festival (IGF) competition.The IGF Competition is open to all independent developers and awards cash prizes to games in 6 different categories: Innovation In Visual Arts, Innovation In Audio, Innovation In Game Design, Technical Excellence, Audience Award and the Seamus McNally Award For Independent Game of the Year.
Set in a unique fantasy world eons from now, Savage transports PC gamers to the next level in multiplayer gaming. The result is a truly unique gaming experience that enables the player to opt for either the fast-paced, run-and-gun action of a FPS (playing as a Warrior) or the more cerebral and tactical planning of a RTS (playing as a Commander). Savage: The Battle for Newerth shipped to retail stores across the U.S. in September '03. The IGF competition will take place at the 2004 Game Developer’s Conference in San Jose, CA from March 24-26, 2004.
Hunting, Unlimited Too!
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 10:45 AM |
Category: Hunting |
Donald Case at Arush Games let us know that the official site for Hunting Unlimited 2 is now live.In conjunction with this site's launch, Enhancement Pack 2 is also available just in time for the Holidays, and the gift from us to HU2 fans is that the Enhancement Pack 2 offers....online tournament support! Players can now easily and seamlessly create and compete in Online Hunting Tournaments at www.HuntingUnlimited2.com. Hunters can compete with their buddies around the world, posting their scores to the new "Tourney Page". They can compete as teams or as individuals, and their trophies will be posted alongside their scores.
For those wishing to create a hunting tournament, nothing can be easier. A few simple clicks and your custom tourney is all set. Just sent put the url in email, or your favorite HU2 forum, and your tournament is public! Gone are the days of worrying about cheaters, as the hunts and trophies are encrypted to eliminate any cheated scores.
The new www.HuntingUnlimited2.com also will display fans' screenshots and host the hunting missions they created and want to share with other HU2 fans around the world. FAQs on the HU2 Mission Editor and help on mission creation is also now available on the site. The Enhancement Pack 2 also incorporates the EP1 patch and all the fixes, so players are sure to be up to date once they grab EP2. Head to the Hunting Unlimited 2 site for more information on how to start uploading your trophies for bragging rights!
| Thursday, December 18, 2003 |
Remember That Duke Game?
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 8:13 PM |
Category: First Person |
1up.com has a rare bit of news regarding Duke Forever, 3D Realms' long, long delayed follow-up to the wildly successful Duke 3D (which was originally released on January 29, 1996 - can ya believe it?!).3D Realms' long-delayed first-person shooter Duke Nukem Forever may not see release until 2005, Take-Two Interactive CEO Jeffrey Lapin noted during Take-Two's investor conference call earlier today. The game's official release date remains "when it's done," but in response to a question about the status of the project, Lapin stated that its developers "expect the game to be completed sometime at the end of 2004 or the beginning of 2005."
Duke Nukem Forever has of course become synonymous with chronic delays since not long after its 1997 debut. Since its acquisition by the publishing imprint now known as Gathering (formerly Gathering of Developers, or G.O.D.), the game has crept all the way from a tentative late 2001 release date.
During another Take-Two conference call from earlier this year, Lapin noted that the publisher has written Duke Nukem Forever out of its financial expectations entirely, and simply hopes that 3D Realms will one day finish the game. I would love to spend one day in the 3D Realms office, just to see what it is the developers do all day. It might be too depressing to spend more than a day in what must be a defeated and lost environment. Having said that, I still hope they somehow finish the game.
| Monday, December 15, 2003 |
Ubisoft Announces New CSI Game
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 10:15 PM |
Category: Forensics |
Forensics fans should be delighted that Ubisoft's Crime Scene Investigation: Dark Motives will be available for the PC in March 2004. The game is based on the hit CBS TV series and gives players the opportunity to solve a series of crimes with members of the CSI team.Building off the success of Ubisoft's top-selling CSI: Crime Scene Investigation PC game, CSI: Dark Motives is a first-person adventure game that will test players' nerves and intellect as they examine crime scenes, question witnesses and analyze evidence utilizing the latest in forensic equipment. The new CSI PC game features a number of gameplay improvements including in-depth evidence examination, scalable difficulty and more interactive lab functionality. CSI: Dark Motives will once again feature the likenesses and voices of the entire CSI cast. CSI: Dark Motives will also feature unlockable bonus content with pre-production sketches, behind-the-scenes footage and unusual trivia.
Halo Now Available For Macs
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 10:06 PM |
Category: Mac Games |
Macintosh users can finally play the Xbox's flagship title. The Mac port of Halo developed by Westlake Interactive has been released.(MacWorld UK) MacSoft says the game offers better graphics than the Xbox version, as well as new vehicles, weapons, maps, and customizable multiplayer games. The game can be played online by up to 16 people on either Windows PCs and Macs. A variety of individual and team-based games can be played, including King of the Hill, Capture the Flag, Death Match, Race, and Oddball. Halo (Mac)'s new vehicles in multiplayer include a rocket launcher equipped Warthog, a Banshee, and a covenant gun turret. New weapons include the flamethrower and a fuel rod gun that players can use to arc plasma bursts toward opponents.
Xbox 2 To Use Proprietary Discs?
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 9:52 PM |
Category: General |
GameDAILY reports that a job advertisement on Microsoft's Careers page hints at the possibility that new proprietary discs may be used for their next-generation console to follow the Xbox.The ad says that the Xbox Team "is looking for a strong PM/Engineer to manage the design and development of the Xbox Game Disc for the next generation Xbox console." It also stresses the importance of anti-piracy technology as one of the key issues in the development of the new discs for the next-generation console. Although it is possible that MS will simply try to incorporate some sophisticated anti-piracy features in the now standard DVD medium, it is probably easier for them to develop a proprietary format. Sadly, if Microsoft were to use some kind of proprietary disc gadget for their future console, it seems unlikely that it would be backwards compatible with present Xbox games.
Tony Blair Plays Games
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 9:44 PM |
Category: General |
UK Prime Minister Tony Blair is acknowledging the gaming industry's lucrative contribution to the British economy with some support of his own:(GameDAILY) British Prime Minister Tony Blair today offered his backing and thanks to the UK computer and video games industry as the Entertainment Software Charity (ESC) launched a five year plan to extend its support of Education through the Government's Academies Programme.
Prime Minister Tony Blair thanked the U.K game industry for helping the economy. "I would like to thank the computer and video games industry for the contribution they make to the British economy which is immense and important." Since it's new, there's not much on the Entertainment Software Charity site right now, but you can keep an eye on it to find out what that's all about.
| Sunday, December 14, 2003 |
Saddam Hussein Captured!
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 12:08 PM |
Category: General |
We don't do this often, but we think you'll understand why today is a justified exception. We interrupt our regular game related news to bring you this very important announcement: Today is a great day. The bearded and disheveled former Iraqi dictator was captured alive while hiding in a hole in the ground outside his hometown of Tikrit. He was later shaved and checked for lice while in coalition custody.
Not in a blaze of glory, but like a rat in a hole. You can head to FOXNews.com for more details.
| Wednesday, December 10, 2003 |
Jedi Academy Bonus Map Pack Released
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 1:33 PM |
Category: General |
Raven Software has issued a bonus map pack for Jedi Academy. Here's the list of the 6 new multiplayer maps:- duel_bonus1 - Coruscant
- ctf_bonus1 - Rift of Shadows
- ffa_bonus1 - Gas Mine
- ffa_bonus2 - The Fortress
- ffa_bonus3 - Conquest of Byss
- ffa_bonus4 - Ord Mantell Canyon
Feel free to pick up the Jedi Academy Map Pack (13.5 MB) from 3D Gamers.
10 Years Of DOOM!
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 8:58 AM |
Category: General |
With DOOM 3 on the horizon, in celebration of 10 Years Of DOOM (which is TODAY, by the way!), our pal Doom_Dude of the NewDoom.com hosted site The Megawad has released a special map just in time for the occasion:It's DOOM'S 10th BIRTHDAY! YAY! To celebrate the greatness that is Doom, I decided to create a special level to release on this day. I decided damned late to make a map for Doom's birthday, so I only had from Dec 6th to the end of the 9th to come up with a decent map and I spent every free moment trying to get this done without it looking like a rush jobby. The map starts out inside the words '10 YEARS OF DOOM' and then goes on to other areas. You can't tell your inside letters unless you have a look at the automap (at least thats what I think.) The map is for Doom (E3M4) not DooM II as it's Doom's birthday not DooM II's.... not that it really matters but hey there is a difference. Heh. So, head to The Megawad for more info with some screenshots and pick up that 10years.zip, then head to the New Doom Forums for the Big Celebration!
| Tuesday, December 9, 2003 |
Atari Ships Horizons: Empire Of Istaria
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 1:57 PM |
Category: General |
Atari and Artifact Entertainment have announced that Horizons: Empire of Istaria, one of the most closely followed and highly anticipated MMORPGs (massively multiplayer online role-playing games), has shipped to retail stores across the US:Available now for PC CD-ROM, Horizons will allow players to experience online gaming like never before in a massive, ever-changing, online world primed for exploration, brimming with adventure and rife with danger. For the first time in a MMORPG, players will have the opportunity to experience the power and might of ancient dragons as a playable character race. In addition, Humans, fiends, dwarves, elves, gnomes, as well as the cat-like Saris and the reptilian Sslik, round out the first nine playable races available in the game. Horizons: Empire of Istaria is now available for an estimated retail price of $49.95 US and has an ESRB rating of "T" for Teen. More information about Horizons can be found online at www.istaria.com.
Revisiting DOOM
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 10:58 AM |
Category: General |
Eagerly awaiting DOOM 3? Well, who isn't? Tomorrow (Wednesday, 12/10/03) marks the day that the original DOOM becomes a full decade old! Can you believe it?! 3D Gamers is offering a DOOM 3 E3 Movie Revisited to help celebrate the occasion:An updated version of the E3 movie trailer for DOOM 3 is now available, celebrating this Wednesday's tenth anniversary of the original first-person shooter by id Software. There is no new footage in this release, but it comes at a notably higher resolution than the previous version of last May. Feel free to talk about all things DOOM and whatever else is on your mind over on our popular New Doom Forums.
The Poltrix Experience
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 1:19 PM |
Category: General |
Looking for a new, hi-res spin on that old fave Tetris? Baxxendale offers a beautiful alternative called Poltrix:Poltrix is a Windows PC computer game which offers you a tetris-like experience. However, Poltrix's gameplay and overall feel vastly differs from that of the tetris-style games, and in a nice way. Even though Poltrix looks similar to any kind of tetris, its concept is different and its gameplay offers a deeper mind-relaxing experience. Plus, Poltrix features a beautiful graphic design and is bundled with nice music. This makes Poltrix a good candidate to assist you during your recreational and leisure time. I tried the demo version of Poltrix. Although I found the lack of sound effects unsatisfying, perhaps they are present in the full version of the game. The music is certainly soothing enough and the graphics are pleasant as well. There is a slight twist on the familiar Tetris gameplay that may seem confusing at first, but it gives Poltrix a notable touch of originality. If you like the demo, you can purchase the full version of Poltrix for $21.00 US. Give it a try!
| Saturday, December 6, 2003 |
Space Invaders A Quarter Century Later
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 9:32 AM |
Category: Developers_Corporate|x|Hardware |
Japanese game machine maker Taito Corp. plans to bring the classic arcade game Space Invaders back to the United States, almost 25 years after it first appeared in arcade rooms.(Yahoo! News) The classic arcade game centers on a fleet of invading aliens looking to take over earth, but they must first deal with a lone gunner -- the player -- holed up behind a fragile set of shields. It has been one of the most popular video games of all time since it was developed in 1978.
"There has been a rebirth of classic video games in America," said Taito spokesman Kengo Naka. "We thought it would coincide nicely with the 25th anniversary of its debut in the U.S." Taito intends to sell 10,000 of the stand-alone game machines at $2,772 per unit. While the game itself will stay the same as we all remember it, inflation has predictably taken its toll. One play will now cost a half a buck, compared to the quarter we paid a generation ago.
EA Replaces Heatley With Sakic
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 5:24 AM |
Category: General |
The EA curse rears its head every year. Whenever a player is on the cover of an EA Sports title, he either gets injured, has a bad season, or worse. The worst effect of the curse happened to star hockey player Dany Heatley of the Atlanta Thrashers who is on the cover of NHL 2004. Just weeks before the opening of the season, he was the driver in an accident that injured himself and killed his friend and fellow Thrasher Dan Snyder. Heatley is now facing vehicular manslaughter charges. EA Sports decided to replace Heatley with Colorado Avalanche center Joe Sakic. EA Sports posted the following statement.Our deepest sympathies go to the family of Dan Snyder and to our longtime friend Dany Heatley. Considering the circumstances, we decided it would be inappropriate to bring any more attention to Dany by featuring him in our advertising campaigns.
This has been a tragic event for everyone involved. The new NHL 2004 cover featuring Sakic is now being printed instead of Heatley, but the Heatley covered games will still be for sale until the stores run out of copies.
Lots Of Jedi Academy Stuff (Updated)
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 11:33 AM |
Category: Console_XBox|x|Developers_Corporate|x|PC_Action |
Lots of Jedi Academy stuff for you to enjoy:Jedi Academy Reviews:entdepot.com/xboxcv-games.commtwog.comscifi.comcv-games.comgaming-age.comgamegal.comdaytrum.comkhabal.comgameblitz.comnlgaming.comzdnet.com.augamerdad.comworthplaying.comgamepower.com.aufiringsquad.gamers.comentdepot.comgameraiders.comgame-revolution.comjolt.co.uktweaktown.comccgr.orghomelanfed.combellaonline.com3davenue.comgamezone.comgamerswithjobs.comugo.comgameshark.comgamebiz.com.augamesdomain.comsolinari.comactiontrip.comgamepro.comtelefragged.comcomputerandvideogames.compcarena.compc.ign.comgamespot.com
Jedi Academy Designer Diaries:Jon ZukJarrod Showers and Justin NegreteFord Dye
Jedi Academy Siege Guide (12 kb) Mirrors:
strategy.jediknightii.netjedi-outcast.com
Jedi Academy Modeling & Animation Stuff (18.7 MB) Mirrors:3ddownloads.com3dgamers.comfileshack.com From the Modeling & Animation Stuff readme:This archive contains files that may benefit you in creating your own custom models and skins for Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy, including:- A models and skinning guide from JK2 with a new introduction for JA.
- Unpainted skins for many of the models.
- Modview.exe to view models.
- Skeleton information for the main humanoids and other creatures and ships. (this is really only useful to the l33t modelers who have figured out our crazy gla files. :) but it should help by declaring the bone names and hierarchy.)
Also, if you're having trouble making your way through the game, there's already a full Jedi Academy Walkthrough at helpdesk.gamehelper.com.
| Thursday, December 4, 2003 |
First Annual VGAs Tonight
Posted
by
Christian 'Fraust' Wilson
at 2:52 PM |
Category: General |
Tonight at 9PM EST be sure to check out SpikeTV for the first annual Video Game Awards. It looks like there will be a great variety of entertainment like popular music performances and celebrities making appearances. With David Spade as the host, it should have several moments of comedy as well.
It looks a bit over the top, but it will be nice to see if some deserving games get awards. If you happen to miss it, you can check out Spike TV's website after the show for a list of the winners.
Wish To Beta Test?
Posted
by
William 'Phoebus' Mull
at 10:18 PM |
Category: General |
Now's your chance! Beta testing for Wish, the upcoming MMORPG from developer Mutable Realms, has just started. Here's a bit about the game:Unlike conventional MMORPGs (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games) that confine players to a server with only a few hundred other players, Wish defines the new category of online gaming called UMMORPG (Ultra Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games). A highly-scalable server cluster infrastructure enables Wish to support tens of thousands of simultaneous players in a single shared world. Wish is due out in late 2004. The beta testing phase is being managed by the Themis Group. Those interested in signing up should visit the Wish Beta Tester Application page.
|
